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Another spacediver is born! When you meet a member of the Red Bull Stratos Team, it’s pretty much a given - the experience will inspire you to reach for the stars or in Erin Bonilla’s case, reach for the toggles. Erin is a NASA contractor and recently licensed skydiver. Since meeting Col. Joe Kittinger and Felix Baumgartner this last spring at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum she is determined to ramp up her jumps. Here’s her story:

“I recently had the opportunity of meeting Felix and Col. Kittinger at the National Air & Space museum with my husband, Dennis. They were so friendly, inviting, and made me feel like I am just a part of the program as they are. It instantly reignited my motivation to go skydiving more often and to keep pushing towards my goals. I am thankful for the opportunity and look forward to seeing the team make history.”

Vote Adventurer of the Year

You know the supersonic jump, you know the team, you know the name Felix Baumgartner. It’s no surprise Felix is up for an array of outstanding achievements for 2012 by many world renowned organizations. This time it’s Adventurer of the Year by National Geographic. Your vote counts on this link.

Vote every day for the People’s Choice Adventurer of the Year from now until January 16, 2013. Winner announced February 2013.

Just as soon as you thought you had heard all of Col. Joe Kittinger’s courageous adventures, I bet you didn’t know he was also a high altitude star gazer.

50 Years ago Dec. 13-14, 1962, (then Capt.) Joe Kittinger and William White flew to an altitude of 82,000 feet over New Mexico in the Stargazer gondola lifted by a helium balloon. The purpose of Project Stargazer was to examine astronomy from above 95 percent of the earth’s atmosphere. Going this high meant they could get unobstructed photographic observations of the stars and planets.

According to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, the flight also provided valuable information relative to the development of pressure suits and associated life support systems during an extended period on the edge of space.

“Since I was a child I always wanted to be a helicopter pilot and I achieved this dream six years back. And now, what is closest to my heart is to volunteer my services, time, energy and experience and put my skills to help humanity with search and rescue operations especially in the mountains,” Felix Baumgartner said in an interview with Gulf News.

Felix was invited as a special guest in Dubai for the FAI World Parachuting Championships Mondial 2012. Not such a coincidence he was a member of the Austrian national team that jumped in the 2011 World Parachuting Championships last December. Notable performers for the ceremony included Katy Perry and Usher.

Disassembling the keg that was once attached to the capsule providing images of the jump.

The Red Bull Stratos engineering team is back together again working on the capsule, only this time they’re taking equipment off. Riedel Communications, FlightLine Films, and Sage Cheshire Aerospace all worked through the week in Lancaster, CA slenderizing the capsule. The crew admitted it was a bit odd to disassemble parts rather than build them as they’ve been doing for the past 5 years. There is a lot of pride in completing a successful mission but it’s also shall we say, bitter sweet since everyone has grown close as a family.